Covington Commission Approves PUD Amendment to Add Two Senior Units to Mount Branch Development

The Covington zoning commission approved a major planned-unit development amendment to increase the approved unit count from 38 to 40 and the approved parking from 38 to 40 for a proposed senior housing building at 1312 West 29th Avenue.

Shyla Moats, the project's architect (identified in the hearing as representing MSH Architects), said the additional two units are necessary because the Louisiana Housing Corporation (LHC) recently changed its qualified allocation plan: the minimum unit threshold for competitive low-income housing tax credit applications is now 40 units. Moats said the developer, Renaissance Neighborhood Development Corporation (the local housing arm in partnership with Volunteers of America Southeast Louisiana), cannot compete for the tax credits with a 38-unit building and therefore asked for the amendment.

Moats described the project as the final parcel in a broader Mount Branch development that already includes The Groves and Saint John Village (182 units in Covington across those sites). She said the requested changes are small — adding two modest units on the third floor and reconfiguring a small amount of green space — and that the plan still provides about one parking space per unit. She emphasized that the developer will pursue the next competitive funding round and that, if tax credits are not secured, the owner may revert to alternate development plans such as single-family or duplex units.

Commissioners asked whether approval would materially improve the project's financing prospects; Moats replied that having a 40-unit plan better positions the project for the LHC funding rounds but does not guarantee award. A motion to approve the PUD amendment was made, seconded and passed by unanimous roll call (Boone, Davidson, Dovick, Bullock, Hudson).